Elected and Appointed Officials:

• Want to know how pending decisions will affect their constituents.
• Are not experts in your field.
• Want to be responsive.
• Are extremely busy.
• Are saddled with many conflicting pressures.
• Live in a world of compromise.
• Are elected to use their judgment.
• Won’t base their decisions on your past support.
• Likely will forget names and faces.
• Deserve respectful treatment.

Telephone Calls

• Be prepared before you call. Sketch out your talking points in advance to keep conversation on target.
• Identify yourself. State your name, bank name and size, address, why you are calling and that you are a constituent, if you are.
• When calling a public official, you may either leave a message with his or her assistant, if the official is not available, or request that you call be returned.
• Keep your message brief, simple and specific. Provide a bill number if you are discussing a specific piece of legislation.
• Ask your legislator to state his or her position on the issue or ask for a written response if they are unsure at the moment.
• If you do not know the answer to a question, don’t guess. Tell them you will find the information and get back to them. Contact Therese Kuvaas at the MBA at 952-857-2603 for more information.

Letters/Emails

• Identify yourself. Be sure to include your bank name, size and address in all correspondence.
• Keep your letter short and to the point. Discuss only one issue. One page is best.
• Make it personal. Mention a mutual interest or where you saw the legislator. Use your own words.
• Be respectful. Be positive. State your views courteously.
• When writing about specific legislation, include bill number and title. Contact Therese Kuvaas at the MBA 952-857-2603 if you have any questions.
• Write legibly and sign your letter.
• Establish yourself as a resource. You are an expert in your field.
• Ask for a response.
• Write a letter of appreciation if the legislator does something of which you approve. Everyone likes to get complimentary letters. They’re effective, too!

Be persistent. Do not be put off by a negative answer. Follow through. Write again and get others to write.

State Senator
The Honorable _____________
State Capitol or State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155

 State Representative         
The Honorable _____________
State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155
Dear Senator/Representative ______:

Formal Visits

• Make an appointment in advance and be on time. Be flexible. 
• Familiarize yourself with the lawmaker’s position on the issue you plan to discuss.
• After initial introductions, start the meeting with a comment regarding mutual interests (i.e., friends and local events).
• State your purpose for the visit. If it is your first visit, you should explain your interest in the issue. Try to localize/personalize the issue.
• Be friendly, earnest and down to earth. Keep the meeting short, approximately 15-25 minutes.
• Listen carefully to the legislator’s views; don’t interrupt if you disagree on the subject. You can accomplish more by listening and mentally noting areas of accord or disagreement.
• Summarize major points, thank them for their time and leave promptly.
• After this initial contact, you have a base from which to contact the legislator in the future on specific bills.
• Send a follow-up letter thanking the legislator for his or her time. Invite them to visit your bank when they are back in the district.

Casual Visits

• Ask to be included on the legislator’s mailing list. Many send out legislative updates and notices of meetings.
• Check your local newspaper for seminars, meetings and other public gatherings when lawmakers will be in attendance. Attend these functions and talk to your legislator about a particular issue. After a few introductions, the legislator will start to recognize you and your issues.
• This informal contact is extremely important and can be very helpful in establishing a good relationship with the lawmaker.
• Invite the legislator to visit your bank. This helps the legislator understand the bank's impact on the local community.